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When Penn Yan incorporated in 1833, it already was home to five taverns in a village of 450 buildings. Located on the north end of Keuka Lake in New York's Finger Lakes region, the town has a laidback, country atmosphere. Most of the restaurants in Penn Yan are in the downtown business district, where quiet streets lead to old, established neighborhoods.

Pub Grub at Keuka Restaurant

Keuka Restaurant (keuka-restaurant.com) has a pub atmosphere but welcomes families. The restaurant offers wings specials and a "famous Friday fish fry." The dinner menu features steaks, seafood and pasta, and lunch choices include burgers, sandwiches and wraps. Upstate New York favorites such as steamed clams and shrimp cocktail are among the more than 15 appetizers. The full bar stocks local wines and serves a shortened version of the lunch menu. Keuka Restaurant, located downtown, is owned by Penn Yan locals who also operate a local motel and a pizza eatery at the other end of Keuka Lake.

Hearty Homemade Food at The Essenhaus

The Essenhaus (essenhaus-restaurant.com), literally translated from German as "eating house," doesn't restrict its menu to German offerings. Lunch and dinner menus feature fresh local food prepared from scratch that ranges from sauerbraten and wurst to prime rib and broiled fish. A burger topped with mashed potatoes and gravy and another topped with shrimp and crab also make for hearty meals. Essenhaus, a few miles north of downtown Penn Yan, also participates in the Friday night fish fry tradition, and the restaurant's Sunday buffets draw diners from as far away as Syracuse.

Barbecue at Lloyd's Limited

Lloyd's Limited (lloydslimitedny.com), housed in a historic 19th-century building downtown, was the site of a speakeasy during Prohibition. The decor of the casual restaurant features Tiffany lamps, dark wood and brass rails. A long appetizer list includes bar favorites such as nachos and potato skins, and the restaurant features pit-smoked ribs and brisket. Burgers, pizza and chicken dishes round out the menu. Friday, of course, is fried fish night. Lloyd's full bar features a large selection of local and imported beers on tap and in bottles.

Pizza at Cam's

Cam's Pizzeria (camspizzeria.com) opened in 1980 and now has more than a dozen locations in upstate New York. The Penn Yan restaurant opened downtown in 1982. The New York-style pizza comes by the pie or the slice, and the sicilian and stuffed crust versions are available by the slice. Cam's signature omelizza, also available by the slice, is a breakfast pizza created by combining an omelet and pizza toppings. The restaurant offers almost 30 toppings, as well as a selection of specialty pizzas, pasta dishes and deli sandwiches.

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About the Author

Meg Jernigan has been writing for more than 30 years. She specializes in travel, cooking and interior decorating. Her offline credits include copy editing full-length books and creating marketing copy for nonprofit organizations. Jernigan attended George Washington University, majoring in speech and drama.

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